The Problems We Saw - And How We’re Solving Them

When we founded Northwest Mental Health Alliance, we knew the mental health system wasn’t working for everyone. Clients were struggling to access affordable therapy, interns weren’t receiving the training they needed, and therapists were burning out in for-profit systems that valued profit margins over people.

Our nonprofit was built to change that.

🔹 For Clients

The Problem

• More and more therapy practices are moving to private pay only, leaving clients who rely on insurance with nowhere to turn.

• Trauma-specialized therapy is especially hard to find - many are left on waitlists or priced out of the care they need most.

• EMDR therapists are turning to ‘intensive’ models where they charge $200+ per hour - and insurance doesn’t reimburse for this.

• When standard models like CBT don’t work, clients often blame themselves, believing they’re “broken” or resistant to change.

Our Solution

• We always accept insurance, keeping therapy accessible without hidden fees.

• We offer EMDR, EMDR intensive option models, and trauma-specialized care that helps clients heal at the root.

• By building a nonprofit, our focus is on people, not profits - every decision is made to expand access, not restrict it.

🔹 For Interns

The Problem

• Graduate programs often provide only one short class on trauma, leaving interns underprepared to meet client needs.

• Many internship sites treat students as unpaid labor, giving them heavy caseloads with little mentorship or trauma training.

• Interns leave placements feeling unsupported and ill-equipped to work with complex trauma.

Our Solution

• We provide structured supervision and mentorship from EMDRIA Consultants and Approved Supervisors.

• Interns gain hands-on training in EMDR, trauma therapy, assessments, and group work - skills that set them apart in the job market.

• We create a supportive culture where interns are mentored, not exploited.

🔹 For Therapists

The Problem

• In many for-profit practices, therapists only receive a fraction of what insurance reimburses, causing them to need to carry unsustainable caseloads.

• EMDR is one of the most effective trauma therapies available, but training costs thousands of dollars. On top of that, required consultation adds more expense.

• Around half of the therapists who complete EMDR basic training never use it - not because they don’t want to, but because they feel unprepared and ongoing support is too expensive.

• Without trauma-specialized tools, clinicians fall back on CBT. While useful for surface issues, CBT doesn’t resolve unprocessed traumatic memories or nervous system responses. Clients are left thinking they’re resistant to change, while therapists feel ineffective.

Our Solution

• At NWMHA, we are EMDR consultants on the path to becoming trainers so we can offer affordable, in-house EMDR training and consultation.

• We make it possible for more therapists to actually use EMDR with confidence, rather than abandoning it after training.

• Our nonprofit model ensures clinicians are paid fairly for their work while receiving ongoing consultation and professional growth opportunities.

• By equipping therapists with effective trauma modalities, we break the cycle of burnout, disillusionment, and client dropout.

✨ Why We Exist

The mental health field doesn’t need to be this way. At Northwest Mental Health Alliance, we believe therapy can be accessible for clients, sustainable for clinicians, and transformative for communities. That’s why we created a nonprofit model that takes insurance, pays therapists fairly, trains the next generation of trauma specialists, and supports organizations with education and care.

Because when therapists are supported and trained, clients heal. And when clients heal, communities grow stronger.